The newly formed G6 Alliance to call Ashdod in April 2012

Unofficial sources reported that the G6 alliance might probebly call the port of Ashdod, as part of the Loop 9 connecting ports in the Far East with Black Sea ports
 
According to unofficial sources the newly formed G6 Alliance to call Ashdod port beginning April 2012.
 
The new G6 Alliance, which will begin operating by April, include Neptune Orient Lines Ltd, Hyundai Merchant Marine Co , Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, Nippon Yusen KK , Orient Overseas (International) Ltd unit OOCL and Hapag-Lloyd AG.
 
The new alliance will cover the full Asia-Europe line and brings together the New World Alliance and Grand Alliance.
 
The partnership will create a container shipping alliance with more than 90 ships in nine services calling at more than 40 ports in Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean.
 
In a joint statement, issued in Hamburg, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, the lines mentioned that "The new partnership will create one of the leading networks in the Far East-to-Europe and Far East-to-Mediterranean container shipping markets. The integrated cooperation of these six lines will enable product and service features to be easily adjusted to market requirements. This is a milestone agreement that significantly improves service coverage in the Asia-Europe market. We will offer sailing frequencies and direct coverage that compete with anyone in the market."
 
The new alliance is scheduled to begin operation by April 2012 with seven joint services operating between Asia and Europe and two services to the Mediterranean. The base-plan port rotation is to operate nine loops.
 
The call at Ashdod, if finalized, will be part of the Loop 9: Yangshan – Ningbo– Shekou – Singapore – Port Said – Ashdod – Istanbul – constanta – Odessa – Istanbul – Ashdod - Port Said and back to the Far East.